The Ride Majestic: Deluxe Digipak CD

Soilwork’s reputation as one of Sweden’s finest exports is well-deserved. Few bands have melded the aggressiveness of metal with genuinely catchy choruses to such impressive results. Soilwork have established a solid reputation alongside fellow countrymen and women such as In Flames, Meshuggah and Arch Enemy and influenced bands such as US heavyweights Killswitch Engage.

Surfacing in 1997 with the five-track ‘In Dreams We Fall Into The Eternal Lake’ demo, Soilwork formed as a quartet before expanding for their first full-length release. ‘Steelbath Suicide’, the band’s official debut, saw the light of day in 1998 and immediately caused a major positive stir in the metal underground.

Their mix of modern, melodic and progressive metal has created a distinctive sound spearheaded by the soaring vocals of Bjorn ‘Speed’ Strid. Albums like 2002’s ‘Natural Born Chaos’ (produced by Devin Townsend) and the recent supreme double album ‘The Living Infinite’ have helped build a dedicated fanbase.

For their tenth new album, Soilwork are joined by new bassist Markus Wibom, formerly of Helsingborg hardcore group Hearts Alive. Wibom replaces longtime band member Ola Flink, who has amicably left the group to focus on other endeavors. Wibom has been a personal friend of the band for many years and has previously toured with Soilwork as a guitar tech and lighting designer. Soilwork vocalist Bjorn ‘Speed’ Strid states, “Flink will forever be a symbol for Soilwork and of all we were and still are about. That being said, we all could sense that he eventually would come to a crossroads. He understandably and respectfully chose to step down.”

Recorded by David Castillo (Opeth, Katatonia) at Studio Groendal and mixed by Jens Bogren (Kreator, Amon Amarth), ‘The Ride Majestic’ is another collection of blistering modern metal. Breakneck arrangements married with infectious melodic hooks pepper the 11 tracks. 18 years on and Soilwork are as fertile as ever.

Tracklisting
1. The Ride Majestic
2. Alight In The Aftermath
3. Death In General
4. Enemies In Fidelity
5. Petrichor By Sulphur
6. The Phantom
7. The Ride Majestic (Aspire Angelic)
8. Whirl Of Pain
9. All Along Echoing Paths
10. Shining Lights
11. Father And Son Watching The World Go Down
12. Of Hollow Dreams
13. Ghosts And Thunder